New Delhi [India]: Vipin Kumar, an IAS officer of 1996 batch, Bihar cadre took over as Chairman of Airports Authority of India, today. Prior to this appointment, Shri Kumar was serving as Additional Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. During his tenure at Ministry of Education, Government of India, he was looking after SamagraShiksha Scheme, National Education Policy-2020, PM-SHRI Scheme and other important assignments.
During his posting in Bihar, he worked as District Magistrate in many districts of the state. He was also the Chairman of Bihar Bridge Construction Corporation; Managing Director of Bihar Milk Cooperative Federation (SUDHA) and Director, Mid-Day Scheme-Bihar.
Vipin Kumar holds a degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering. In his new assignment as the Chairman of the Airports Authority of India, Kumar will lead efforts to achieve AAI’s organizational goals of developing world-class airport infrastructure, leading air navigation services and providing top-of-the-line passenger facilities across the country. His role will be instrumental in charting the roadmap of Indian Aviation Sector towards realising the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat-2047.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) was constituted by an Act of Parliament and came into being on 1st April 1995 by merging erstwhile National Airports Authority and International Airports Authority of India. The merger brought into existence a single Organization entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and air space in the country.
AAI manages a total of 133 airports out of which 110 airports are operational while other 23 airports are non-operational. These operational airports include 28 civil enclaves and 8 airports under private control [2 JV Airports + 6 PPP Airports under long term lease]. 35 out of total 110 AAI operational airports have international operations.
AAI provides air navigation services over 2.8 million square nautical miles of air space. During the year 2023-24, AAI at its airports (excluding JV and PPP Airports) handled aircraft movement of 1053.96 Thousand [International 103.75 & Domestic 950.21], Passengers handled 130.67 Million [International 15.09 & Domestic 115.58] and the Freight handled 688.38 thousand MT [International 338.85 & Domestic 349.53].